11th November 2020
Photo by my Facebook friend Ana Svarz from Argentina
Love and Chaos: Title page
Young Learners, Level 2: I would go out tonight, but I haven’t got a stitch to wear
11th November 2020
A step up in the musical education of my younglings. After teaching them to say … to scream, “I feel good,” a la James Brown (because I cannot stand the pre-programmed, “I’m fine,”) we’re moving on to one of my favourite bands: The Smiths. This song has a reference to clothing albeit in rather high-level English. However, the motivated students, with repetition, can absorb so much and really boost their vocabulary. So, without further ado … The Smiths with ‘This Charming Man’ : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJRP3LRcUFg
The lines in question start at 0:45 – 0:51
“I would go out tonight but I haven’t got a stitch to wear.”
This means that the singer doesn’t has any nice clothes to go out or has no money to buy new clothes
Play the song and the younglings have to shout out every time they hear the lyrics.
Bonus questions:
What is the singer wearing ? What is he doing ?
What instruments are the band playing ?
Clothes: a previous blog covered clothing vocabulary. Select what is appropriate for this level, e.g. for material just choose cotton, silk and plastic : https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/03/19/adult-speaking-class-level-2-describing-clothes/
What are they wearing ?
She is wearing a white cotton T-shirt with ‘The Smiths’ in blue as well as a brown skirt and a white headband.
Now … your turn
Design your own T-shirt:
Young Learners, Level 4: Which one ?
10th November 2020
E Up 4, U 2 review
Let’s kick off with an appropriate song – REM and ‘The One I Love.’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7oQEPfe-O8
I love playing guitar but I really want a new guitar.
I love playing guitar but I really want a new one.
The noun is ‘guitar‘. We can use the word ‘one‘ so we don’t need to say the same noun twice.
OK, which guitar would you like ?
I would like the black guitar.
OR
I would like the black one.
T-shirts – which one would you like ?
Doughnuts – what is the question ?
Animals – which one is the fastest ?
QUIZ
Birds – which one can fly backwards ?
Insects – which ones never sleep ?
Mammals – which ones can fly ?
Which ones can’t jump ?
Which one can’t make a sound ?
Review
What do you like doing ? Are you good at it ?
I like riding elephants. I really like riding elephants. I’m good at it.
What do you not like doing ? What are you not good at ?
I don’t like speaking Vietnamese. I’m not very good at it.
Young Learners, Level 4: intelligent insects, amazing animals
7th November 2020
Objectives: review comparatives (big, bigger than // small, smaller than // fast, slower)
Is a leopard as fast as a cheetah?
Cheetahs are the fastest animals in the world. They can run up to 120 kilometers per hour. Leopards can run up to 58 kilometers per hour.
So the answer is:
No, a leopard is not as fast as a cheetah. A leopard is slower.
Is a great white shark bigger than a blue whale ?
A great white shark can be 4.9 metres but a blue whale can be over 30 metres
So the answer is:
No, a great white shark isn’t as big as a blue whale. It’s smaller.
Now … your turn
Have the students take turns being teacher or Thay
Is an eel longer than a seal ?
An eel can be 4 metres long, a seal can be 5 metres
Is a panda heavier than a gorilla ?
A panda can weigh 150 kg, a gorilla can weigh 227 Kg
Is a cat as intelligent as a dog ?
Dogs can learn over 160 words AND understand basic English grammar. Scientists think dogs are more intelligent: https://safarisafricana.com/smartest-animals-in-the-world/
Which fact or facts did you like the most ? Which was the most interesting ?
Test
When do ants sleep ? How do dolphins sleep ?
What can’t elephants do ? Is a giraffe noisy ?
How many hearts does an octopus have ?
How do butterflies taste ?
Why do camels have three eyelids ?
What is different about a hummingbird ?
How does a man penguin ask a woman penguin to marry him ?
The man penguin offers a stone, to help build a nest.
IELTS: Be “industrious, hard-working, incredibly energetic” students
6th November 2020
IELTS Mindset 2 Unit 1:Listening
How to start turning standard English into IELTS-style answers
Tips:
Introduce your answer
Paraphrase the question
Use low-frequency words (LFW)
Think what idiom or expression is appropriate
Use intonation and stress
Speak fluently and pace yourself
For a database of idioms and IELTS – language you will need to know, click here:
Example:
Last week we used these words:
city centre / industrial / residential / suburban
quite / safe / vibrant / boring / peaceful
bustling / gritty
Which adjectives could describe the four types of area ?
NEXT UP:
Speaking exercise – imagine you live in the first picture. Describe the neighbourhood and your life. However, when you get a high-paying job, you want to take out a mortgage and move to the second picture. Describe that neighbourhood.
NEXT UP:
Introducing and expanding your answer
Do you like coffee ?
I like many drinks however coffee is my favourite because it tastes great and makes me wake up although too much will stop me from sleeping at night but, in my opinion, the benefits far out weigh the disadvantages.
NB (Latin – nota bene = note well, please read, important information)
- I didn’t answer immediately but introduced the question.
- Use of discourse markers to extend the answer
- Saying something positive and negative about the subject
- This was all one sentence – a complex sentence which you will need to start using in order to pass IELTS with flying colours
Try these:
- Living in HCM
- Free time
- Working and studying.
New vocabulary
ubiquitous everywhere, very common
naïve innocent, inexperienced
stroll a gentle walk, for exercise (collocation: take a stroll)
a bazaar (noun) a permanent, covered market
bizarre (adjective) very strange, unusual
absent-minded extremely forgetful
sky-high, astronomical very expensive, maybe too expensive
predictable it is possible to guess the answer, people doing the same thing
hawkers
Street _______ are common in Vietnam, and they are _________ in District 1. It is nearly impossible for a westerner to take a ________ without being approached. Some claim to sell Ray Bans or designer sunglasses, but you would have to be extremely ________ to believe they are genuine ! They are all fake, probably made in China. Many people try to _____(collocation) money by selling to tourists especially around Ben Thanh Market, a kind of _______, though this is strictly for tourists as the prices are ____________ !
Pronunciation Practice
First time in Viet Nam – First impressions of Viet Nam
A vlog by Divert Living, posted just over two years ago and which has already received more than a million hits:
[American English accent]
Try 04:44 – 04:53
” … and I asked them, ‘How much is aqua (water) ?’ Aqua’s fifteen thousand, beer’s twenty thousand … of course I’m gonna get the beer, now … it’s just as expensive as the water.”
09:00 – 0913
“Fun fact, Vietnamese cuisine is considered one of the healthiest cuisines in the world … and, to go with the food, the size of the dining tables and chairs are super small.”
Young Learners, level 5: What were you doing when … ?
4th November 2020
E Up 5 Unit 2 review
First up, divide class in two teams, after playing a warm-up song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMcWldfg28s
One of my students has chosen the English name ‘Cherry’, so this song goes down well (especially when I try, and fail, to hit those high notes).
Now, down to business
Past tense – what is the past tense for:
eat // drink // see // become // live // travel // ride // sleep
Moving on – complete the sentence:
Last night I _____ Chinese food
Yesterday he ______ hot, sweet tea
She ______ all night
Marco Polo _______ famous for his travel stories.
He ______ from I___ to C________
In Thailand, Mr Paul _____ a large grey intelligent elephant.
Also he _____ many beautiful colourful temples
Now, past continuous
Make sentences using continuous form. Remember – verb + ing
What are they doing ? They are telling stories
Use flashcards. Have students ask and answer the questions. Call two students, one from each team and have them stand on a mark. Awards points for pronunciation as well as correct answers. Drill class to make sure everyone is taking part.
Next hand out six flashcards, three to each team.
Ask them, “What were you doing when I drank coffee ?” They must answer in the present continuous e.g. I was setting up the tent.
Finally, have a student mime an activity. Only that student’s team may answer.
Please Note: All photos are taken from Google Images or free photo sites, and are used for educational purposes only. No copyright infringement or offense is intended. If I have used your photo or image, and you wish me to remove it, just ask. This site is not monetized, I run it on my own dollar. Thank you.
Speaking Practice: ‘Read All About It !’
2nd November 2020
The best way to improve your pronunciation is, obviously, to listen and then to copy.
Practice, practice, practice
IELTS students in particular need to demonstrate a variety of speaking skills: intonation, stress, chunking, elongating words for emphasis, not to mention body language, eye-contact and gestures.
Therefore, without further ado, here’s a number of clips for you to practice, and don’t forget … have fun !
First off the bat, President Obama speaking in Florida, October 2020: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UoPB7SvCGk&t=364s
I want you to focus on the speech from 05:44 – 06:15
“I just want you to know it, it’s a good idea to have an answer to this question … it’s a good idea if you’re running for re-election to say, ‘Here’s what I want to accomplish.’ What did Trump say ? He got mad and walked out of the interview. He thought the questions were too tough. Too tough ! Miami, listen, if he can’t answer a tough question like, ‘What would you like to do in your second term ?’ then it’s our job to make sure he doesn’t get a second term.”
From a linguistic point of view, notice the differences between British and US English, words such as ‘interview’. Notice how President Obama paces himself … leaving space between sentences, how he stresses certain phrases (“Too tough !“). Finally, listen to the ‘music’ of the last sentence. His voice is building up to a climatic, “Doesn’t get …” which is an incredibly powerful way of speaking.
Now, let’s have a speech from President Trump: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVG1uR9wr-A
I want you to focus this time from 00:53 – 01:20
“…and ensure more products are stamped with that beautiful phrase: ‘Made in the USA.’ And next year will be the greatest economic year in the history of our country … under my leadership our economy grew at the fastest rate ever recorded, 33.1%, just announced. We created a record 11.4 million jobs in the last five months …”
Naturally, not everybody agrees with President Trump, nor his style of debating. Here’s how Vice-President Joe Biden reacted to being constantly interrupted:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7Gw–6t3s4
Watch from 0:40 – 0:44
“Will you shut up, man !”
Time to bring it closer to (my) home, and British politics. You saw how polished and professional President Obama was … but that is not always the case. Here is former Labour (left wing) politician, Diane Abbot who was famous, or infamous, for making mistakes in the media.
In this clip, the politician is forced to listen to a recording of a radio interview where she couldn’t answer the question. This can make you cringe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYZ262b7wBI
Watch from 0:37 – 1:18
The question was how much would 10 000 extra police officers cost ?
“Well, if we recruit the 10 000 police men and women over a four-year period, we believe it will be about £300 000 …”
Interviewer speaks …
“Haha, no, I mean, sorry, they will cost … they will, it will cost … um about … about £80 million … yeah !”
Now, the British Parliament may be regarded as an icon of modern democracy and free speech but it can get out of hand. Politicians, like children, can be noisy and in need of discipline. A strong presence is required to maintain order. Here’s Mr John Bercow, former Speaker of the House reprimanding a politician:
“If you don’t like it, you’re perfectly entitled to your view, I couldn’t give a flying flamingo what your view is.”
Let’s wrap up with New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Arden:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN7ojP2Q6kY
From 0:34 – 0:46. PM Arden is talking about winning the election and the votes or ‘seats’ that she needed in order to secure victory.
“We have seen that support in both urban areas and in rural areas, and seats we may have hoped for but in those equally we may not have expected.”
To the ‘students’ that talk during my class, here’s a word from Vice-President Biden:
Thanks, Joe.
Young Learners, Level 2: Review … and Buster Keaton !
30th October 2020
A quick recap of recent language. Tell me what you like.
Example
I like playing guitar as well as playing with elephants.
I love playing loud music as well as playing with big grey intelligent elephants.
Elephants are very strong as well as very hungry.
Sometimes Mr Elephant is so clever, he can play piano
What does he like ?
NOW, who works in a:
hospital // a school // a restaurant // a bus ?
Does she work in an airport ?
Does he work in a school ?
Do they work in a school ?
Do they work in a school ?
What do you want ?
I want some delicious spaghetti
Why ? Because I’m very hungry.
I want some delicious spaghetti because I’m very hungry.
What does he want ?
He wants _______________ because he’s ______
What does she want ?
She __________________ because she’s _______
Does he want salad ?
Does she want steak ?
What do you want to eat ?
Please Note: All photos are taken from Google Images or free photo sites, and are used for educational purposes only. No copyright infringement or offense is intended. If I have used your photo or image, and you wish me to remove it, just ask. This site is not monetized, I run it on my own dollar. Thank you.
Young Learners, Level 4: Safety First … and the gunpowder plot !
29th October 2020
E up U 1, L4 & U 2, L1
Objectives:
review recent vocabulary
sentence building
develop the use of intonation and stress in natural speech.
Warm Up:
Two teams – on the board, six sports but the letters are tangled. One member of each team has to write the correct spelling.
kis // odosabrnw // cie-etksa // ni-niel akste // aabkrdoset // furs
Next up:
Three boys and three girls holding the six sports flashcards. Three hold the cards the right way up, the others hold their cards upside down.
If the card is the right way up, it means the student is good at the sport.
First I will ask: Is he or she good at (surfing) ? The class will answer, using previously taught vocabulary,
“Yes, he’s / she’s very good at it.”
“No, he’s / she’s not very good at it.”
Partner work:
Ask each other, or in small groups, “What are you good at ?”
Examples:
I’m very good at climbing
I’m very good at fishing
Is she good at playing drums ? Yes, she ….
Is he good at in-line skating ? No, he …
Adjective round up:
A chance to encourage students to extend their English skills.
First, opposites
Big _______ // huge ________ // scared ________ // dangerous _______ // happy ______ // cheap ________ // boring ________ // hard-working ____
Next, tell me about the man. What does he look like ? What does he wear ? What is he doing ? Is he scared ? Is he brave ?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEcTjhUN_7U&t=148s
Which brings us to the theme of safety and the book work for the Saturday Class.
E up U 2, L 1
British culture
As a break, a little introduction to the UK and its history and traditions. The beginning of November sees Bonfire Night or Guy Fawkes Night
In 1605, a group of men wanted to kill the King of England, James I. They wanted to blow up the building where the King was going to be, so they hid 36 barrels of gunpowder under the building. However, the King’s soldiers found one of the men, Guy Fawkes, and arrested him. The King was safe ! To celebrate, people made giants fires called bonfires : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wnq7aqHLCSM
Start and play up to 0:52 to explain the background, then from 3:25 and have the class copy the children in the video. This helps with pronunciation as well as learning new words, and learning about Britain.
We still do this today. Also, children help to make a Guy Fawkes from old clothes and old bags, and then adults put it on the fire. Finally, there are fireworks, sometimes at home, sometimes in parks so everyone can see.
Many different types of fireworks are used:
Some young children are holding sparklers – they have to wear gloves and be VERY CAREFUL.
Past simple and past continuous
28th October 2020 E Up 5 U 2, L 2
Warm Up: A kinetic run ‘n’ write exercise. I will say a simple sentence in the present tense; students have to write the past tense. Class can be split into two or three, depending on size, each with a different colour marker.
You act in a play / I ride an elephant / She win a competition / He read a big book / We learn English /
In English, we often talk about what we were doing at some time in the past.
For example:
Last night I was in a café drinking coffee.
We show past tense by
1 a word or words that show the past e.g. Last night, yesterday, this morning
2 the past tense form of the verb e.g. I am = I was / he is = he was
Then we use a continuous verb to say what someone was doing i.e. verb+ing (playing, reading, working)
Last night he was in his room playing guitar.
Yesterday she was at school writing in her book.
Last week they were at a party singing songs.
How did the children feel ? They felt …
Now we can use past simple and past continuous:
When I came to class, the student was sleeping.
When I called my sister, she was studying insects.
When I found my friends, they were looking at the stars.
Now … Your turn
When I found my friends, they were …
To make your English more interesting, we can change the word order:
When I found my friends, they were collecting leaves
They were collecting leaves when I found my friends
NOTICE: no comma in the second sentence
Change the word order:
When I found my friends, they were identifying trees
When I found my friends, they were picking strawberries
When I found my friends, they were finding animal tracks
Please Note: All photos are taken from Google Images and are used for educational purposes. No copyright infringement or offense is intended. If I have used your photo or image, and you wish me to remove it, just ask. This site is not monetized, I run it on my own dollar. Thank you.
Thay Paul's Notes 